AWJ and George flying high

Four rounds into the new Guinness PRO14 season, Ospreys pair Alun Wyn Jones and George North are both featuring heavily in the official championship OPTA stats.

Alun Wyn is leading the way for turnovers won across the championship, having recorded six in his three appearances to date. 

That tally puts the talismanic second row one ahead of Ellis Jenkins (Blues), Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Cheetahs), James Davies (Scarlets) and his Ospreys team-mate, Owen Watkin.

He achieved an incredible four turnovers in last weekend’s win over Benetton Rugby alone, double the number achieved by any other player across the round, with Scott Otten, George North and Joe Thomas all among a long list of players who achieved two turnovers each.

Jones has also managed three lineout steals, the third highest tally of the season so far.

Equally impressive in the stats is North. As well as his two turnovers, he features highly across a number of lists from both the Round 4 game at the Liberty Stadium and the season overall.

His total of 105 metres made was the third highest of the weekend (Sam Davies is three places behind on 90m), while only six players beat his total of five defenders beaten.

Having featured in three of the four rounds so far, his 17 defenders beaten is bettered only by DTH Van Der Merwe (Glasgow) and Jordan Larmour (Leinster) so far this season, with both on 19.

North is third on the list of clean breaks (eight), while his total of 277 metres made puts his firmly in the top ten, in seventh place.

Of course, all those attacking stats have helped him score three tries to date, making him joint top PRO14 try scorer, with Justin Tipuric also on three.